Once your visa is approved and your course start date is getting closer, the next step is the move itself. HDF Education helps international students prepare for travel, understand what needs to be organised before leaving home, and know what to expect after arriving in Australia.
There is quite a lot to organise between receiving your visa and getting on the plane. Your flight is only one part of it. You also need somewhere to stay when you arrive, important documents within reach, enough money for the first few days, and a clear idea of what you can bring through the Australian border.
Study Australia recommends arranging these things before departure and advises students to book their flight only after their Student visa has been granted.
HDF provides pre-departure orientation once a student’s visa is approved, helping you work through the practical side of getting ready for life in Australia.
| Before You Leave | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Travel documents | Passport, visa information, CoE and copies of important records |
| Flights | Arrival date, baggage allowance and enough time before your course begins |
| Accommodation | Where you will stay for at least your first few nights |
| Airport transport | How you will get from the airport to your accommodation |
| Money | Access to funds for your first few days and any bank charges for using cards overseas |
| Travel insurance | Whether you want additional cover for travel delays, cancellations or other travel-related costs |
| Packing | Baggage limits, Australian weather and biosecurity rules |
| Emergency contacts | Family, education provider and other important contact details |
| Course start | Orientation dates, campus information and instructions from your provider |
Pre-departure orientation gives you a chance to go through the practical side of your move before travel day. HDF can talk through what you have already arranged, what still needs attention, and the questions you have about arriving and starting your studies in Australia.
Before you leave, HDF can go through the main study and travel documents you should have ready, including your passport, visa information, CoE, and accommodation details. This helps you see whether anything important still needs to be organised before departure.
Your travel date should make sense alongside your course start and orientation. We can help you look at those dates together, so you have a clearer idea of when to arrive and what you need to know before your first day with the education provider.
You may already have somewhere to stay or only have short-term accommodation arranged. HDF can talk through the practical things to check before you travel, such as your first address, how you will get there after landing and what information to keep with you.
Australian border rules can be unfamiliar if you have not travelled there before. As part of pre-departure orientation, we can point you towards the official information you should check so you know what needs to be declared and what is better left at home.
HDF can also help you understand what the first few days are likely to involve, from orientation and provider instructions to the basic things you may need to set up after arriving. That way, your preparation does not stop at the airport.
A few things become easier if you already know about them before you leave home. Your first week will usually involve settling into your accommodation, getting familiar with your education provider, and putting some everyday basics in place.
Check when your education provider is holding orientation and make time to attend. It is often your first chance to learn how the campus works, understand student services, and find out what you need before classes begin.
Once you know where you are living, your education provider needs your Australian residential address. Study Australia states that Student visa condition 8533 requires students to provide this information within seven days of arriving in Australia.
A local phone connection and access to your money make the first few days much easier. You can buy an Australian SIM after arrival, and international students can also open Australian bank accounts when they have the required identification and address information.
Students in higher education, TAFE and nationally recognised training generally need a Unique Student Identifier (USI). International students using a foreign passport can normally create one after entering Australia and clearing customs.
There is plenty you can read online before moving to Australia. A pre-departure session is useful for a different reason: you can talk about your own move.
Where are you going? When does your course start? Have you already found accommodation? What are you still unsure about?
HDF uses those details to make the conversation relevant to the student who is actually travelling.
HDF provides 1-on-1 education counselling, so your pre-departure preparation does not have to rely on a general checklist alone. You can bring the questions that matter to your own move and work through them with an education counsellor.
Preparing for Perth will not look exactly the same as preparing for Melbourne, Sydney or another Australian city. Your destination, education provider, accommodation and course dates give HDF a clearer picture of what you need to think about before leaving.
Some of the most useful questions before departure are ordinary ones: where you will stay, how much money you may need at first, what life in Australia will feel like and what you should expect after arriving. These are already part of HDF's pre-departure information service.
HDF Education is based in Perth and provides education counselling through a Qualified Education Agent Counsellor (QEAC #13237). Students preparing to study across Australia can speak with HDF before departure about their study arrangements and practical preparation.
By the time you are preparing to leave for Australia, most of your study arrangements should already be taking shape. These HDF services cover the stages that commonly come before pre-departure.
Still getting your enrolment, CoE, OSHC or other study arrangements in order? HDF can help with the education side before you move on to travel preparation.
Need to understand how your course, CoE and other study arrangements relate to Subclass 500? Read HDF's dedicated service page
Still waiting on an application, offer, or education-provider response? Get help with the university application stage before planning the move
Make sure the main things are settled before travel day. Your visa should be granted, your passport and study documents should be ready, and you should know where you are staying when you arrive. Check your flight, airport transport, baggage allowance, orientation dates, and Australia’s border rules as well.
Take your passport, visa information, and Confirmation of Enrollment with you on the journey. It’s worth keeping your accommodation address and important contact details close too. Copies of key documents can also be useful if anything is lost while you travel.
Book your flight after your Student visa has been granted. When choosing the date, look at when your course and orientation begin rather than simply finding the cheapest departure. Arriving with some time to settle in can make the first few days easier.
You should at least have accommodation arranged for your first nights in Australia. It does not have to be your permanent home. Short-term accommodation can give you somewhere to stay while you get to know the area and look at longer-term options.
Most ordinary personal belongings are not a problem, but Australia has strict biosecurity controls on certain food, plant and animal products. Some items need to be declared, and others cannot enter the country. If you are unsure about something in your luggage, declare it rather than guessing.
Once your visa is approved, HDF provides pre-departure orientation to help you prepare for life in Australia. You can talk through practical questions about your travel preparation, study arrangements, and what to expect when you arrive rather than trying to work everything out after you land.
Tell HDF Education where you are planning to study, when you expect to travel, and what still needs sorting out. You may only have one question, or you may want to go through your preparation from beginning to end.
An education counsellor can help you work out what still needs your attention before departure.